By DPA
Washington : The World Bank's embattled President Paul Wolfowitz has been given time until Friday to respond to an internal ethics investigation against him, the development agency's board of directors said in a statement.
A seven-member committee appointed to investigate Wolfowitz's leadership at the bank – including his handling of a promotion and pay raise for his girlfriend, a World Bank employee, after he joined the agency in June 2005 – has reportedly concluded that he violated ethics rules with the deal.
World Bank executive directors met Wednesday to consider Wolfowitz's request for more time to respond to the draft report by the investigating committee.
He was given a copy of the draft on Sunday, the board said in its statement late Wednesday. The committee will complete its report after considering any comments submitted by Wolfowitz Friday.
The ethics controversy has sowed turmoil and paralysed the bank's work over the last month.
The board will meet with Wolfowitz Tuesday to allow him "to communicate his views in person, if he wishes to do so," the statement said. The executive directors "will then consider all the information available and reach their decisions".
"The report being prepared by the (investigating committee) will permit an effective and orderly resolution of the matter, following fair process and careful deliberation," the statement said.